Drought in Lyon County, KS: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Lyon County, KS: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (13 wk), 2011 (30 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (30 wk), 2014 (24 wk), 2015 (15 wk), 2018 (33 wk), 2022 (23 wk) and 2023 (33 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Aug, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of KS

90th most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Douglas County (3.5 in 10) and Linn County (3.5 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (29% of weeks), then Oct (26%) and Jul (24%). Least in Feb (12%). May to September averages 21%.

16 Jan
12 Feb
13 Mar
22 Apr
16 May
16 Jun
24 Jul
29 Aug
22 Sep
26 Oct
21 Nov
18 Dec

The worst year: 2018

2018: 33 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.2% at D2, 3.4% at D3, 13 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 59 weeks, Jun 12, 2012 to Jul 23, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 33 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.